Manmohan Singh has no right to vote!

He took initiative for Indo US civil nuclear deal. He moved a confidence motion on Monday, July 21 to seek support of the nation in favour of the Indo-US civil nuckear deal. But when it comes to voting in Lok Sabha, our PM can only sit as silent spectator and witness the drama unfolding there. Manmohan Singh, the 17th prime minister of India cannot vote to or against the Confidence Motion moved by him as he is not a Lok Sabha member. Perhaps he is the first prime minister of India, who is not a Lok Sabha member.

Manmohan lost the election in the Lok Sabha from South Delhi constituency in the 1999 general elections. He is thus the only Indian Prime Minister never to have been an elected member of the Lower House of Parliament. In fact he has not even won a direct election. He has been a member of the Rajya Sabha from Assam since 1995. He was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2001 and 2007.

Left again can just sit and watch the drama in Parliament. The Left leaders are the major critics of the N-deal. They are oppoising it in whatever way they can. CPI M general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, RSP general secretary T J Chandrachoodan, Forward Bloc genral secretary Debabadra Biswas all may oppose UPA government and the N-deal using exploding words and nation wide campaing. But are destined to sit and watch our MPs voting through television. Because none of these leaders are members of Parliament. The Left core group of decision-makers do not have any member from the Lok Sabha — the highest platform in the country that represents the people.

The dilemma does't end there.........He is dealing with the defence sector of India and is our defence minister. But when it comes to defending a major deal initiated by his UPA govt, A K Antony is helpless as he is also a Rajya Sabha member. His vote doesn't count here too...

Valayar Ravi, the Parliamentary affairs minister the major negotiator in bringing the MPs together again cannot render a vote and save UPA as he too is a Rajya Sabha member.

The new ally of UPA, Samajwadi Party took the right move by supporting UPA, when Left withdraw support and reduced it to a minority. Mulayam Singh and the Amar Singh met Prime Minister and Former President Kalam to discuss about the N-deal. Even NSA M K Narayan briefed them regarding N-deal....Amar Singh, the man behind the new UPA-SP deal is also helpless as he too is a RS member.

Though P C Thomas of Kerala Congress is an MP, he cannot vote. He was banned by Supreme Court from voting.

Debate on Nuke deal is never ending. By Tuesday, July 22 eve India can know will its four year old UPA government will sustain or will the NDA, Left parties and the Mayawati led UNPA succeed in toppling the government.

As Advani had promised a whole new "renegotiated" nuke deal may emerge.

We will wait and see.... Only time is the factor.

The number game continues and so the countdown for UPA begins....